Hi, everyone! I'm Steve Runyon, here again to bring you "Spotlight." This month we're talking to Johnny Depp. Depp has had an interesting acting career, having been in a wide range of movies. His latest project, Sleepy Hollow, is a movie version of the animated story of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. A daunting headless horseman haunts the lonely roads of Sleepy Hollow, making for an interesting passage for people coming and going from the small town. We started off by asking Depp about his view on Tim Burton's attempt at capturing the spirit of the original Sleepy Hollow.

Depp: I think that this movie... First off, it is Washington Irving great story The legend of Sleepy Hollow but done by Tim Burton. I mean, ahh, yeah, another opportunity to really go... to be invited into Tim Burton's universe. I think that Washington Irving probably... he must have had a vision back in 1820 when he wrote this thing and published it that some day Tim Burton would be directing it. The film has everything. It's a horror film; it's an action film. It's sort of a drama, and it's even above and beyond that - It's very funny. It's a comedy. It's got a little bit of everything.

It sounds like there's something for everyone in this movie. We then asked Depp how he feels about working in Hollywood these days, as his career seems to be moving more and more towards mainstream audiences.

Depp: I mean, I am very comfortable with Tim, and I... I mean, going to work with him is about the best I've ever felt. I mean, each time it's just fun, always stimulating, and it's always a great experience. But, when you have... you've got Tim, who's sort of your creative sort of cruise director, and then beyond that you've got the brass, the upper echelon of whatever company you're working for - Paramount of whatever - and there's always that possibility that, you know, the studio big-wigs can see the dailies and go, "Wait a minute," you know, "this is not the action hero we were hoping for," you know. "This is kind of a nellie, very fragile, prepubescent girl here. What's going on?" You know. But in fact, I strive for that feeling. I want to feel that insecurity. I think it's a very... um... You can use it to your advantage. It's fuel, you know. I think it's nice to have that possibility that you may be fired, that you may fall flat on your face. It's good for an actor, I think.

Hollywood has proven to be that way in the past, so I guess no one's job is truly secure these days.
It's been reported that Depp is now a father, so we asked him his thoughts on his new responsibilities.

Depp: I always had a sneaking suspicion that I was going to be a dad. I always wanted to be. I just didn't know when, when the time was going to be right or whatever. But, uh, what surprised me, not that it... It did surprise me that it was me. Suddenly, I was looking at my child, you know, our child, mine and Vanessa's baby. And I was so used to, you know, being there when my sisters had kids or my brother had a kid or, you know, that kind of thing. So fact that it was me was really strange. But, uh, it's been... it's been the most inspiring..., I mean, it's just it's just... everything. I mean, anything outside of that... of that magical moment, and what's been going on ever since and for the last six months has just been the only... It's the only thing that's ever happened in my life.

It sure can be a confusing time for the best of us men, not to mention those in the "spotlight."
I guess the question on everyone's lips would be whether he was hoping for a boy or a girl.

Depp: I somehow had the feeling that for nine months, I was sort of... I don't know, I just had the feeling... not that I wanted... I don't mean that in terms of wanting. I wasn't saying, "I want a boy, I want a boy." or "I want a girl, I want a girl." We both just wanted a healthy baby, you know. But I kind of... I don't know, I sort of thought in my head that it was going to be a boy. So, when my baby came out, it was like, "Where's the... where's the beef?" Essentially, yeah, it was like, "Wait!" For that split second, you're thinking "Wait!" 'cause you're thinking, "Of course it's a boy." But you know, it's not! So, uh, it's the most... I don't know... Anything I say is a total understatement because there's just no way to explain it.

As with all new fathers, they always end up happy with a healthy baby, regardless of gender.
It's rumored that Depp has been talking with Roman Polanski about an upcoming project. We asked him if the rumors are true.

Depp: I met Roman at the... It was the '97 Cannes Film Festival, and he told me he was writing a... writing a script based on a book. And could he send it to me and would I be interested in reading it? Of course, you know, having been a big Polanski fan for a number of... years... So, yeah, I read the script. He sent it to me a few months later and called me, you know, and said, "What'd you think, Johnny? Do you want to do it?" I said, "Yeah," and that was it. We were off. That was when I went to France, and that was almost two years ago. So Roman was... Yeah, he was instrumental in this transformation, this change in my life, you know.

Well, I'm sure we're all looking forward to whatever happens between those two.
That's all for "Spotlight" this month. All of us here at Nonstop English Wave and KUSF would like to thank Johnny Depp for sharing his time with us. Until next month, I'm Steve Runyon. Good-bye!

A Fan's Page for Johnny Depp
http://johnnydeppfan.com

Any Johnny Depp fan could spend hours browsing this website full of photos of the adorable bad boy star and packed with information about his personal and career lives. There are even Depptoons, a newsletter, and details about the birth of the baby Lily Rose.